Takayama
Takayama Takayama, or the alpine, is a clan nestled in the mountains. The camp is nestled in a large cave, perched above an intricate labyrinth of tunnels. The clan worships Sora, a male deity of wind and sky. They are very traditional, and prize intelligent, independent cats who adhere to their strict moral code. Traditions Rite of Learning The first time a Takayama warrior (not medicine cat!) travels down the mountain, it is as a journey led by their father (if they have no father, a close male family friend/older sibling) and their potential mentor when they reach six moons, but have not been yet named an apprentice. The father represents Sora's guidance, while the mentor is the teachings of the clan. If the kit survives the trek without incident, then it is proof that they will thrive in the clan. Should they be hurt or lost, it is a symbol of a troubled future. Rite of Wits Before an apprentice can become a warrior, they are given a full day and night to navigate the tunnels that stretch beneath the camp on their own to prove their capacity for intelligence and problem-solving. At dawn on the first day, they are led by their mentor, an elder, and the medicine cat to the heart of the tunnels. If they find their way out after dawn on the second day, they must continue their apprenticeship for another moon. If they do not find their way out, they are believed to have been claimed by the Underworld. No cat has ever emerged from the tunnels after the second day. Naming Like all clans, Takayama kits are given names for their physical appearance, usually using nouns that come from their natural habitat. Snow, weather (such as fog and mist), ice, rocks, evergreen trees, nocturnal birds of prey, and some rodents form the most common prefixes. It is also common for a kit’s prefix to come from an older family member or the close friend of a parent. The name usually comes from the suffix of the loved one they are honoring. For example, if a kit were to be named for a cat named Snowrose, their name may be Rosekit or Thornkit, depending on physical appearance and parent’s preference. However, kits are never named for deceased loved ones. To do this would risk confusing the spirit of the deceased and potentially trapping them in-between afterlives, as well as attracting attention from the Underworld onto the kit. Omens * If a cat sees other cats in gusts of snow or in the tunnels, find no other cat, and returns safely to camp, they are believed to have something of great importance happening to them soon. * If a cat sees other cats in gusts of snow or in the tunnels, find no cat there, but become lost afterwards, they are believed to have something of great darkness happening to them soon. * A cat who is born on the morning of a blizzard is believed to be a blessed spirit; a cat who is born on the night of a blizzard is a cursed one. * If the father of soon-to-be born kits sees a snowy owl sitting during his mate’s pregnancy, his kits will be wise and stay out of trouble. If the mother of soon-to-be-born kits sees a snowy owl flying away during her pregnancy, her kits will certainly be a pawful. (No word on what happens if a father sees a snowy owl sitting, and the mother sees it flying away, or vice versa.) Category:Takayama Category:Clans Category:Lore